Angelo takes twin bill from Hounds

The Rams scored 25 runs on 21 hits and stranded just six baserunners in posting a 14-9, 11-9 Lone Star Conference South Division baseball sweep of Eastern New Mexico University.

By contrast, the Greyhounds left 18 runners on base — nine in each game.

Angelo (26-10, 3-1 South) rallied to win both contests, including coming from a 9-2 deficit in the nightcap. The Rams took three of four from the Hounds (16-22, 1-3) in the weekend series.

Catcher Matt Lenderman, who was thrown out at the plate trying for an inside-the-park grand slam in the opener, capped the comeback in the seven-inning nightcap by hitting a one-out, opposite-field grand slam in the sixth off Keith Balderaz (0-4).

His three-run triple in the opener erased a 4-1 Hounds lead. Rams center fielder Drew Caraway added a two-out grand slam in the fourth for an 8-4 lead.

Jeremy Tietze (1-0) relieved starter Brandley Durst for Angelo after the first two hitters reached base in the third and went the rest of the way, allowing five runs — one earned — on nine hits over seven innings.

In the second game, Troy Vaughan singled home a run in top of the first and the Hounds made it 5-0 with four in the second, including home runs by Seth Clabaugh and Paden Vendrely to start the inning.

ENMU built the lead to 9-2 with a four-run fourth, but managed only two hits the rest of the way against relievers Elliot Love (1-0) and Michael Gunter, who worked a perfect seventh to earn his first save. Gunter pitched a complete-game three-hitter in a 3-2 Angelo win in Saturday’s seven-inning nightcap, tying a school record with 11 strikeouts.

Vendrely went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs for ENMU, while Derrick Kennedy and Clabaugh each had two hits and drove in two runs. Evan Courteau (4-6) allowed 10 hits and 10 runs — six earned — over six innings.

Angelo’s speed hurt the Hounds. The Rams stole nine bases in 10 tries in the doubleheader.